To have and to hold

I felt honoured to have been invited to take photographs of a wedding last Friday. The couple do not wish their identities revealed just yet so faceless photos and no names for now. Christ Church in Jebel Ali is a fabulous venue. The colourful stained-glass works of art let enough natural light in, while the beautiful indoor lighting supplements it.

This is my first visit here and was not sure what to expect, but the very plain and simple altar is a breath of fresh air. I had enough time before the entourage arrived to take some photos of the little details that give it understated beauty.

They have these cross-stitched padded kneelers, one for the bride…

… and one for the groom.

I was not fully prepared as I had hoped and at times I felt like I was getting in the way of such a beautiful service. I wanted to get in close at some point so I changed to my 70mm lens, which gave me this view of the rings being blessed. It was the closest I could get without disrespecting the solemnity of the occasion.

“With this ring…” I managed to sneak in and get this as it happened. It was the perfect spot.

There was not enough time to get them to pose properly so I snuck this photo of the lovely bride’s rings just outside the church before we left.

It was a beautiful service, very unlike a Catholic service because the chaplain was very jovial yet imparted very wise, practical words to the couple. There were a lot of laughter, esp during the exchange of vows when the groom had to repeat some words to the effect of “I promise to share with you everything I have/own”. Oh and the bride walked down the aisle to the tune of Norah Jones’s Come Away With Me. Simply divine!

To the newly-weds, thanks for trusting me with your special day. It was made easier because you are both beautiful and so easy to take photos of. Congratulations once again!